Author: claimsbot

1. A gloss applicator, disposed downstream from a fusing device for fusing a non-fused image on a recording medium, the gloss applicator comprising:
a pair of pressure units to define a gloss nip therebetween through which the recording medium is passed to enhance glossiness of the fused image;
an endless belt, disposed in one of the pressure units in an extended loop configuration, to transport the recording medium thereon, an outer face of the endless belt contacting the fused image on the recording medium; and
a belt suction unit, disposed inside the endless belt loop, to exert suction on the endless belt to locally deform a given portion of the endless belt and separate the recording medium from the endless belt at the given portion as a separation position.
2. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit is moveable between an upstream position and a downstream position in a moving direction in which the endless belt moves.
3. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit is configured as a plurality of belt suction units disposed-inside the endless belt loop along the moving direction in which the endless belt moves, and the separation position at which the recording medium is separated from the endless belt is changeable in the moving direction in which the endless belt moves by selective activation of one of the plurality of belt suction units.
4. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit has a contact portion to contact the endless belt, and the contact portion has a given shape to reduce a friction between the belt suction unit and the endless belt.
5. The gloss applicator of claim 4, wherein the contact portion includes a rotatable member.
6. The gloss applicator of claim 4, wherein the belt suction unit has a rounded contact portion that contacts the endless belt to reduce friction between the belt suction unit and the endless belt.
7. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit is activated when a leading edge of a recording medium sheet transported by the endless belt is to reach the belt suction unit.
8. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit uses depressurized gas to exert suction on the endless belt.
9. The gloss applicator of claim 1, wherein the belt suction unit is a magnet unit having a magnet, in which a magnetic force is used to attract the endless belt.
10. The gloss applicator of claim 1, further comprising a cooling device, disposed inside the endless belt loop at a position after the gloss nip and before the belt suction unit, to cool the endless belt.
11. An image forming apparatus, comprising the gloss applicator of claim 1.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of forming a device, the method comprising:
forming a metal layer over a substrate; and
forming at least one barrier layer, the forming comprising:
depositing a solution comprising a metal complex comprising a central metal atom or ion and at least one organic ligand over the substrate; and
at least partially decomposing the at least one organic ligand of the metal complex.
2. The method of claim 1,
wherein the solution comprises
a solvent; and
about the maximum soluble amount of metal complex in the solvent.
3. The method of claim 1,
wherein the organic ligand is an oximate ligand having the structure represented by Formula I
wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl and R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C6-C14 aryl, and alkylaryl.
4. The method of claim 1,
wherein the metal complex is decomposed at a temperature below about 250\xb0 C.
5. The method of claim 1,
wherein the device is a semiconductor device.
6. The method of claim 1,
wherein the substrate comprises a module with at least one semiconductor device;
wherein the barrier layer is formed over the semiconductor device.
7. The method of claim 1,
wherein the substrate comprises a module with a plurality of semiconductor devices;
wherein the barrier layer is formed over the semiconductor devices.
8. The method of claim 1,
wherein the substrate having a surface and a contact hole extending from the surface of the substrate into the body of the substrate, the contact hole having at least one side wall;
wherein the barrier layer is formed over the at least one side wall of the contact hole; and
wherein the contact hole is at least partially filled with the metal layer.
9. The method of claim 1,
wherein the metal layer is formed of at least one of a noble metal or an oxidable metal.
10. The method of claim 1,
wherein the barrier layer is formed as an adhesion promoting layer for the metal layer between the metal layer and the substrate.
11. The method of claim 1,
wherein the barrier layer is formed as a ceramic layer.
12. The method of claim 1,
wherein the metal layer is formed over the barrier layer.
13. The method of claim 1,
wherein the barrier layer is formed over the metal layer.
14. A device, comprising,
a substrate having a surface, wherein the surface is substantially free of oxygen derivatives;
a barrier layer over the surface; and
a metal layer over the barrier layer;
wherein the barrier layer is formed such that the barrier layer prevents a diffusion of the material of the metal layer through the barrier layer into the substrate.
15. A device, comprising,
a substrate having a surface and a contact hole extending from the surface of the substrate into the body of the substrate, the contact hole having at least one side wall;
a barrier layer disposed over the substrate; and
a metal layer disposed over the barrier layer;
wherein the barrier layer is formed over the at least one side wall of the contact hole; and
wherein the contact hole is at least partially filled with the metal layer.
16. A device, comprising,
a substrate comprising a module having a plurality of semiconductor devices; and
a ceramic barrier layer formed in physical contact with the semiconductor devices.

1. An absorbent article comprising:
a chassis comprising an outer cover having an interior surface and an exterior surface and an absorbent structure positioned adjacent the interior surface of the outer cover;
at least one conductive element contained in the chassis and forming part of a sensing circuit that is configured to sense the presence of a substance; and
at least one electrically identifiable component associated with said at least one conductive element, said at least one electrically identifiable component having an identifiable characteristic the presence of which permits operation of the sensing circuit.
2. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrically identifiable component is coupled to said at least one conductive element.
3. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrically identifiable component comprises at least one gap proximate one end of said at least one conductive element, said at least one gap dividing said at least one conductive element into a first portion and a second portion.
4. An absorbent article as defined in claim 3, further comprising:
at least one electrical component coupled across said gap.
5. An absorbent article as defined in claim 4, wherein said at least one electrical component is selected from the group consisting of resistors, capacitors, inductors, passive components, active components and combinations thereof
6. An absorbent article as defined in claim 3, further comprising at least one second electrically identifiable component coupled to one of said first and second portions.
7. An absorbent article as defined in claim 6, further comprising:
at least one second conductive element contained in the chassis and forming part of the sensing circuit, wherein said at least one second electrically identifiable component is coupled between said first portion of said at least one conductive element and said at least one second conductive element.
8. An absorbent article as defined in claim 6, further comprising:
at least one second conductive element contained in the chassis and forming part of the sensing circuit, wherein said at least one second electrically identifiable component is coupled between said second portion of said first conductive element and said at least one second conductive element.
9. An absorbent article as defined in claim 7 or 8, wherein said at least one electrically identifiable component and said at least one second electrically identifiable component have different electrical characteristics.
10. An absorbent article as defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one electrically identifiable component comprises a resistive component and said at least one second electrically identifiable component comprises a capacitive component.
11. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one conductive element is configured to electrically connect to a signaling device, and wherein an identifiable characteristic of said at least one electrically identifiable component enables selected operability of said signaling device.
12. An absorbent article as defined in claim 11, wherein the selected operability of said signaling device comprises enabling or disabling operation of said signaling device.
13. An absorbent article as defined in claim 11, wherein the selected operability of said signaling device comprises adjusting operating parameters of said signaling device.
14. An absorbent article as defined in claim 13, wherein adjusting operating parameters of said signaling device comprises adjusting operating parameters based on gender specific characteristics of the absorbent article.
15. An absorbent article as defined in claim 13, wherein adjusting operating parameters of said signaling device comprises adjusting operating parameters based on size specific characteristics of the absorbent article.
16. An absorbent article as defined in claim 13, wherein adjusting operating parameters of said signaling device comprises adjusting operating parameters based on absorbent article type specific characteristics of the absorbent article.
17. An absorbent article as defined in claim 11, wherein the signaling device produces an audible, visible, andor vibratory signal when activated.
18. An absorbent article as defined in claim 11, wherein the signaling device comprises a transmitter electrically connectable to the at least one conductive element, and a receiver, and wherein, the transmitter sends a wireless signal to the receiver which produces an audible, visible, andor vibratory signal to a user when the signaling device is activated.
19. A method for providing absorbent article characteristic related signals, comprising:
providing an absorbent article comprising an absorbent structure, at least one condition sensitive sensor, and at least one electrical component having electrically identifiable characteristics;
providing a signaling device, the signaling device capable of producing selected user perceptible signal combinations;
configuring the signaling device to be responsive to the at least one condition sensitive sensor and the at least one electrical component; and
coupling the signaling device to the absorbent article, whereby the signaling device may produce signal combinations responsive to a sensed condition and may identify the characteristics of the at least one electrical components and adjust one or more of its operational conditions based thereon.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
providing at least one second electrical component having electrically identifiable characteristics;
locating the at least one second electrical component in one of the absorbent article and signaling device; and
disabling the signaling device upon failure to identify selected electrical characteristics of the at least one electrical component and the at least one second electrical component.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for monitoring performance of cores based on a multi-core processor, comprising:
a status information collection unit configured to collect a plurality of pieces of status information extracted from respective cores, and to store the plurality of pieces of status information in respective memory areas provided for the cores; and
a monitoring unit configured to receive the status information, to send the status information to a storage unit, and to perform monitoring based on the status information,
wherein the monitoring unit is provided in any one of the cores.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cores comprise respective status information extraction units each configured to extract the plurality of pieces of status information.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pieces of status information is information including at least one of a number of tasks or an amount of data that have been processed for each of the cores.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status information collection unit comprises:
a memory unit configured to have a plurality of different memory areas for the respective cores, and to store the plurality of pieces of collected status information in the respective memory areas;
a scheduling determination unit configured to determine whether each of tasks, which have been assigned to the respective cores corresponding to the plurality of pieces of status information that are stored in the respective memory areas, is a scheduling target;
a core setting unit configured to fixedly set locations of the tasks so that the tasks are performed only in the respective assigned cores; and
a core determination unit configured to determine whether the task, which is a scheduling target, has been assigned to the core provided with the monitoring unit.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit, if the task, which is a scheduling target, is a task assigned to the core provided with the monitoring unit, sends the stored status information to the storage unit, resets the status information collection unit, and then performs the monitoring.
6. A method of monitoring performance of cores based on a multi-core processor, comprising:
collecting, by a status information collection unit, a plurality of pieces of status information extracted from respective cores, and storing, by the status information collection unit, the plurality of pieces of status information in respective memory areas provided for the respective cores; and
storing, by a monitoring unit provided in any one of the respective cores, the plurality of pieces of collected status information in a storage unit, and performing, by the monitoring unit, monitoring based on the status information.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, before collecting the plurality of pieces of status information extracted from the respective cores and storing the plurality of pieces of information in the respective memory areas, providing the cores with respective status information extraction units each configured to extract the plurality of pieces of status information.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein collecting the plurality of pieces of status information extracted from the respective cores and storing the plurality of pieces of information in the respective memory areas comprises:
storing the plurality of pieces of collected status information in respective different memory areas provided for the respective cores;
determining whether each of tasks, which are assigned to the respective cores corresponding to the plurality of pieces of status information stored in the memory areas is, a scheduling target;
fixedly setting positions of the tasks so that the tasks are performed only in the respective assigned cores; and
determining whether the task, which is a scheduling target, has been assigned to the core provided with the monitoring unit.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein storing the plurality of pieces of collected status information in the storage unit and performing monitoring based on the status information comprises:
determining whether the core to which the task, which is a scheduling target, has been assigned is the core provided with the monitoring unit; and
storing the plurality of pieces of collected status information in the storage unit, resetting the status information collection unit, and then performing the monitoring.